1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trunk release means, and, more particularly, to an emergency trunk release apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is all too often that we learn of a tragedy involving death or serious injury that results from one being locked in the trunk of an automobile. Most often a result of children's playing, on a hot summer day, the trunk quickly becomes a furnace, reaching extreme temperatures that cause rapid dehydration and suffocation.
In other cases involving criminal activity such as car-jacking or kidnaping, one is forced into the trunk against his or her own will. Once again, suffocation or dehydration poses significant risks to life in this situation. Regardless of the manner in which one is trapped in a trunk, accidentally or by intent, the results are often deadly. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which one can release an automobile trunk latch from the inside in a safe and effective manner.
In the related art, several devices are disclosed that describe an emergency trunk interior release latch. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,326, issued in the name of Ferro et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,233, issued in the name of Lira, U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,812, issued in the name of Knott and U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,909, issued in the name of McGhee.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,868, issued in the name of Kurth, discloses a safety lock for motor vehicle doors.
Several patents disclose a keyless entry system for automotive devices. These include U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,746, issued in the name of Taniguchi et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,325, issued in the name of Haygood et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,012, issued in the name of Kishi, et al. describes a speech recognition system for an automotive vehicle.
The problem with the devices cited in the prior art is that they are mechanical in design. This creates several problems, first, the person trapped in the trunk must be able to figure out how to use the mechanical escape latch, turnkey, etc. Second, the person may not be able to see the device in the trunk. Third, the person may not have the strength or manual dexterity to activate the device. Fourth, activation may be counterintuitive. Fifth, the device may protrude from the trunk front, thereby injuring the person trapped within.
Another problem with these devices is that they cannot be easily activated by a body part other than a person's hands. Thus, they are ineffective when a person is tied up and does not have full use of his or her hands.
Another problem with these devices is that they cannot be easily deactivated temporarily, at times when interior lock access is not wanted, such as when carrying cargo in the trunk.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that anticipate directly many features of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.